Forever
by Koure
Summary: Forever. He has forever to live. And forever to die. He had no choice, and he'll be alone. But will he be alone... Forever? Rating may change. Eventually ZackXCloud. I know, crappy summary.
1. Prolouge

_Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII, nor any of it's characters. This is for entertainment purposes only._

_I'm editing and revising all chapters to make them smoother and longer, nothing major will be changed._

* * *

"No!", how could he tell this to Tifa? The kids? Anyone for that matter?

Cloud lashed out at his wall, crushing the wood and plaster beneath his hand. He stood within his bedroom, against the wall opposite the door, his for-head pressed to the cold dry-wall. The impact of his hit made a loud noise and he soon heard his friends rushing up the stairs. His superior hearing could also detect two pairs of small feet following the adults.

'_They won't be small one day...'_

His door opened, not hesitantly like usual, but forceful. Enough to cause it to slam back against the wall. He turned his head barely, seeing Tifa in his peripheral. Behind her stood Barret and Vincent.

"Cloud?", she said, worried. She let out a little gasp when she saw that his hand was actually in his wall, having sunk in from the punch. He hadn't removed it yet.

"Cloud? Are you okay?", Marlene asked as she entered behind Barrett and Vincent, Denzel following right behind all four of them. He looked as unsure as ever. Cloud looked at the little girl for a second, before looking at the damage he'd done, he thought he could repair it in about an hour... But of course he didn't have to worry about _time _anymore. At the thought his eyes narrowed and he felt like hitting something again.

"Cloud, are you paying attention? Did you hurt your hand?", Tifa asked, now beside him. He hadn't even noticed she'd crossed the room.

"I'm fine Tifa", he murmured and looked at Vincent. He pulled his hand out of the wall and flexed his fingers.

"What's wrong Cloud?", Tifa asked, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"I need to speak with you", he said to Vincent and walked away from the martial artist and towards the door.

He paused at the doorway and looked back at Tifa, "I'll repair the damage when I get back".

As he left, he patted Denzel's head, because the poor kid was scared about what was going on.

'_Does he think I'm leaving again...?'_

"I'll be back later Denzel", he told the boy.

"Promise?"

"Yeah, I promise", Cloud said and left the room. He walked downstairs and out of the front bar, onto the street. He walked calmly, not reflecting the thoughts inside, watching the children wave to him. A couple even came up to him.

"Hello", he said quietly to a the two boys and one girl brave enough to approach him.

"Hi mister Strife, what are you doing?", one of the boys asked. He wore a red cap turned backwards and an easy going, if nervous, grin on his face. Black hair flopped over natural green eyes and the kid reached up to brush it away, a long suffering look passing over his face for a brief second as he did so.

"Going for a walk", Cloud answered.

The girl was watching him quite intensely before she piped up. "Mama says that we shouldn't bother you, but I don't think we're bothering you because you don't look upset or annoyed", she said smartly and the two boys looked at each other before backing away slightly.

'_Little cowards'_, Cloud thought amusedly. More than likely they'd wanted to ask that in the beginning and had been to intimidated to. It was always the girls who had the guts to do the actual work.

"No, you don't bother me", he said, amusement quite evident in his voice. Realizing that something was funny to Cloud, the girl looked back at the two boys.

"Cowards", she hissed, echoing his thoughts. Embarrassed, the boys shuffled forward. "My names Tristy, and that's Jake", she said pointing over to the boy who hadn't spoken.

"And I'm Tristan", the boy in the red cap announced proudly, "Tristy's my sister"

Cloud smiled and nodded, "Cloud Strife", he said just for the hell of formality.

"We know, _everyone _knows", Tristy said and giggled.

'_Uh-huh. I hear that a lot'_

"We know Denzel, do you know where he is?", Tristan asked.

"He's at home, you can go and ask for him if you like", he noticed a women in his peripheral, and turned to look at her.

She came running up and stood in front of the children, "Mister Strife, I am so sorry they were bothering you, I'll make sure they understand once I take them home", she apologized.

"They're no trouble", he said. "They were just asking for Denzel and I have nothing to do at the moment anyway".

She looked stunned for a moment, before nodding. "Oh, well then... I guess I'll thank you for having good patience, they're very trying at times", she said earnestly, looking relieved and a little curious.

"I can relate", he said. Oh the times Marlene had jumped him...

"That's right, you live with Denzel and Marlene. We almost forget around here with how little we see you", she said.

He could tell she was probing for information. And probably gossip. "I'm out often", he answered her underlying question.

"Ah... Oh! I'm being quite rude aren't I? My names Piper Fillstree", she said and bowed a bit. Cloud smiled a bit and nodded his head formally.

She looked at a wrist watch she had on, and looked back at the children, "Well, I need to take the kids home. It's about lunchtime. It was nice to talk to you Mister Strife"

"Likewise", he said. As they passed him, Jake, the only one who'd stayed silent, looked back at him and mouthed, _'She's single ya know'._ Cloud couldn't help but chuckle as the boy winked and pointed at Piper before turning around and following the little group. He'd have to watch Marlene closer in the coming years with boys like that running around.

'_I almost forgot she's going to get older...'_

He sighed and turned around, now that the kids and Piper were gone, he had nothing to distract him from the dilemma he'd been avoiding. He walked until he'd left Edge and entered Sector Three of Midgar. There was no one there since the ground was unstable and dangerous.

"Vincent", he said and sat on one of the piles of cement that had been blown up when the Weapon attacked back when Shinra was still going.

"I'm here Cloud", Vincent said and seemingly materialized out of thin air.

Cloud was hesitant, but the piercing look of Vincent's eyes got him talking in a few seconds. "I... Heard a womens voice this morning... Inside me", he whispered and grasped his head in his hands softly. Vincent looked fairly disturbed and walked closer to the sitting man. He crouched in front of Cloud, looking up to the Blond's face.

"Jenova?", he asked calmly.

"I don't think so... She didn't feel like Jenova, more... Safe. Not like I needed to please her", Cloud said.

Vincent thought quietly for a few seconds before asking another question, "What did she say?".

Cloud looked him in the eye, a grim and distressed look on his face.

_"You'll live to protect the Planet forever..."_


	2. Chapter 1

"We can't allow him to live like this forever!", A blond Cetra man exclaimed fiercely.

"I understand that Galieal, but what can we do to ease his suffering?", the brunet women he was arguing with replied sadly and looked down into the crystal pool of water.

"I don't know...", he admitted frustratedly. The two were both regarded highly in the Life Stream, Galieal and Janbire were from the time of Jenova, and had helped put her down before fading away from illness.

At the moment, they were peering into a pool of clear water, observing those that still lived on the planet, and watching one in particular.

"This should not have happened", Janbire murmured.

"Hm...", Galieal agreed, "But who can order the Planet around?"

They both sighed, what had been done couldn't be fixed, only helped along it's way.

"This must be horrible for him, he's wished for death for a long time now, and he will never die", Galieal said. The women beside him nodded, and sat beside the water, trailing her fingers through it and rippling the surface.

"Is Zack aware of what the Planet has done?", she asked. Galieal shook his head and sat beside her, watching how the pictures distorted.

In the water, images appeared, slowly coming from small fragments of particles, and then disappearing a few seconds later. It showed random things mostly, but because of how their thoughts were, and who they were about, the image of Cloud Strife was shown now and again. They had no control over what was shown, the water seemed to use their emotions as a base. It showed natural places and the sky during sunrise, it showed a poor but happy family, and many other things.

"He needs to know. It is his right as the lover of Cloud Strife", she murmured and stood. She took a deep breath, and lowered her hand to help Galieal up.

"I don't need help", he grumbled but took the offered hand anyway.

The two Cetras slowly dispersed, there particles melting into the life stream to seek out Zachary Fair. They found him soon enough, and reformed beside the man.

Zack nearly yelped when he first saw them form, he wasn't used to the tricks of the Life Stream yet. Even after several years. He was in a comfortable black muscle shirt and cargo pants of the same color, no armor or weapons. He was however, wearing dog tags.

"Oh, hey guys", he said. He knew the two, as they helped to keep him informed on what was happening on the Planet as much as Aerith did.

"Anything interesting going on? How's Cloud?", he asked eagerly. He missed his love dearly, but he was much happier since Cloud had begun doing better, and besides, he'd see him again.

He noticed Janbire look away from him, and Galieal eyes harden slightly in anger, and felt uneasy. "He's okay right? He's fine?", he asked worriedly.

"Cloud... Is what we came to speak with you about Zack", Galieal said. The Cetra man sat down beside Zack and motioned for the obviously uncomfortable Janbire to do the same.

"He isn't... He hasn't died has he?", Zack exclaimed in shock, and yet a little hopeful as well. Maybe he'd be seeing Cloud soon.

"No Zack, he's alive but... The Planet has done something to him", Janbire assured him. He felt his emotions dead pan, and he eyed the two blankly for a second.

"What? What the hell has the planet done to him?", he exploded, rising to his feet in anger and soon being followed by the Cetras.

"The Planet decided that it needs someone to protect it forever. It's chosen Cloud to live as long as it will, so that he can make sure it comes to no harm", Janbire explained sorrowfully. She wondered how Cloud would cope. But then again, he didn't really have a choice anymore.

"Dammit", Zack cursed. This wasn't right! How could the Planet do this? Didn't it realize how badly this would hurt Cloud? That he'd have to watch all his friends die?

Zack realized he may never see Cloud again.

"No...", whispered and sunk to his knees. He gripped his head between his hands, letting the tears fall, and repeated the word. Janbire wrapped her arms around him, trying to comfort the distraught man. "Isn't there something we can do?", Zack pleaded.

"We can't stop it, only go along with it and try to help", she whispered. "Then send me to him! We've talked about it before, and you said it's possible!", he begged as he closed his eyes.

Galieal watched in anger and sorrow, Zack didn't deserve this, and neither did Cloud. "We can try", he said and looked to Janbire, who nodded and closed her eyes. She would attempt it, since she was more in sync with the Planet.

The Cetra women concentrated for a few seconds before looking back at him. The Planets voice and power still echoing in her. "It doesn't believe there's a reason to send him back...", she murmured. The Cetra couldn't do anything if the Planet didn't approve...

Zack could feel his heart breaking, he'd never see Cloud again. "Cloud", he whispered painfully. "I want to be alone", he told the two, and curled up into himself some more.

"Okay Zack, but we're here if you need us", Galieal said and dissolved, Janbire soon following him.

Zack opened his eyes, watching as the surroundings around him melted away and formed anew. Where a plain of grass and a sky of clouds had been, a field of yellow and white flowers and green tendrils that resembled the Life Stream floated about in a blue sky. Arms wrapped around him from behind, and he turned his head to see Aerith, who kissed his forehead. "Oh Zack, we'll keep trying", she promised.

"Thank you", he murmured, he felt so helpless, not being able to decide for himself what would happen.

"It's alright", she soothed and held him tighter. "Angeal's going to visit you later", she said. He nodded and closed his eyes, still crying. "Go to sleep for awhile", Aerith gently ordered him.

In the Life Stream, you could still sleep and it helped when you were stressed. So he did.

* * *

A little later Angeal arrived and Aerith patted Zack's cheek to wake him up. "Okay Zack, Angeal's here", she said and waited tell he opened his eyes to continue, "I'm going to go speak with the others, so I'll see you later"

"Later Aerith", Zack said and sat up. Once again the scenery had changed, now there was a blue sky, not many clouds, and fields of Banora Trees and a river.

"Hello pup", Angeal greeted him, and sat down beside him. The man wore clothing similar to him.

"Hey Angeal", Zack sighed. Angeal frowned and pulled the usually hyper puppy into an embrace, he was aware of the situation of course, it was quite evident since most of the Planet was in an uproar.

"Angeal...I'm scared. What if I never get to see him again? What if I can't hold him or apologize for leaving him?", Zack asked, desperation cutting into his tone.

"Shh, Zack. Things will get better eventually. I don't think you need to apologize for dying though. He never blamed you", Angeal said.

Zack cried quietly into his shirt before speaking again, "What if he moves on?"

""You don't need to worry about that. He has no one to move on with, and he doesn't want to", the elder said quietly.

"It isn't fair 'Geal. Cloud shouldn't have to have this burden", Zack said in frustration.

"I know Zack, but life never works out like that. There are checks and balances to make sure all the good things and all the bad things are evened out", Angeal explained.

Zack sighed and slumped in the embrace, he couldn't believe this was happening. Angeal let him go and moved a few inches away. "The Cetra have a plan, that's why I wasn't here earlier", he said.

"What's the plan?", Zack asked. Hopefully something that would help him and Cloud, even if he did hate asking for help.

"Well, they know that at some point Cloud's going to break because of this...", Angeal paused when Zack flinched, and then motioned for him to continue, "When he does, the Planet will realize that he needs help, and we'll be able to send you to him. There's one thing we need to ask you though..."

"What? You don't need to ask if I'll go, because I will", Zack said and waited for the question.

Angeal watched him for a second before speaking, "We don't know how long it will take, so would you rather watch and wait the whole time or sleep until we can send you?"

"Sleep? Like... Dreaming sleep?", Zack asked, confused.

"Yes, you won't be aware of what's happening and time will be much quicker. It may even be pleasant", Angeal said.

"What happens when... It's time?", Zack asked, he wasn't sure about all of this but that was kind of okay. It didn't sound to bad either.

"We'll wake you and then you'll go", Angeal said. Really, he wanted Zack to choose this option because in the time it could take, he'd be miserable and angry.

"I think... I'll sleep, but what about you and Aerith?", Zack asked in concern.

"We both have things to occupy our minds and keep us distracted, time passes faster in the Life Stream when your busy", Angeal assured him.

Zack nodded and looked up at the sky. "How are we gonna do this?", he asked.

"Just lay down and go to sleep, do you want to say bye to Aerith first?", Angeal questioned. Zack nodded.

Angeal phased away, it seemed like it had grown on the man since his time there, and reappeared a second or so later with Aerith. Once again, the landscape changed and the field of flowers was back.

"Sleep well Zack", Aerith said and hugged him.

"Yeah Aerith, keep an eye on Cloud for me?", he asked and hugged her back.

She nodded, "Of course silly"

"Well, let's do this", he said and laid down. The flowers tickled his nose making him sneeze until he got used to it, and he felt very relaxed when Aerith's hand rested on his forehead.

"G'night", he murmured drowsily.

"Goodnight Zack", Aerith and Angeal answered in unison. His eyes slipped shut and he fell asleep.

"I hope the Planet realizes he's needed before Cloud breaks", Aerith whispered to Angeal, and removed her hand from Zack.

"Yes, I do too", the man agreed.

The two watched Zack for a bit longer before dispersing to inform the rest of the Cetra that Zack had decided to sleep.

If only they'd known for how long.

* * *

_Wow, chapter 2 up now. Or would it be considered 1 since the other chapter was an prolouge?_

_I'm putting In Love And Guilt on hold till the end of the week since this story is pretty much eating me alive. _

_Reviews very much appreciated and thanks for reading._

_Koure._


	3. Chapter 2

Cloud walked through a green forest, watching tendrils of smoke flow over the tree tops. The ground he walked on was littered with twigs and other debris, vines hung down to grasp at him and cling to his body, and roots attempted to trip him. He could hear a bird squawking as some sort of snake monster devoured it's chicks, but didn't care. It had been this way for years and he was used to it.

He found himself more at peace than usual in this simple and natural place than he was in a city, things were quieter here and less crowded. He felt more at home here than anywhere.

But even if he felt at peace here, the pain inside wouldn't go away. It ate at his heart, and sharpened his misery. Misery that never left his broken and forsaken soul.

He used to curse the Planet for doing this to him, for making him live like this, but after five hundred years he couldn't find the strength to...

He walked through the dense plant life and briefly thought that Aerith would love it since she was so fond of plants. He thought his old friends would have too.

It was what they'd fought for, after all.

It was nice to see a reward to their efforts, the world was clean again with no one to pollute it and there hadn't been any trouble in recent years.

He came to a cave like rock formation and sat in the overhand, finding it cold and uncomfortable, but not really caring either way. He curled into himself, grasping the two swords from his back and placing them in front of him. Zack's Buster Sword, returned to it's former glory, and First Tsurugi, his own weapon.

It was hard to remember things from his past, and certain details had faded, only the last two hundred or so years were really clear.

He remembered his friends though.

But he didn't want to think about them right now. When he thought about them he remembered things. Most of them were painful.

He'd done bad things in his past... At least he thought so.

He wished he could see Zack. Zack was who he loved, and it hurt to think about him, but thinking about him also bought comfort, even if he'd never see him again. That was the most painful thing, never seeing Zack again. He used to hope that it might happen, he'd even begged Gaia, but it seemed his prayers were ignored...

His blond hair drifted in front of his eyes and he pushed it back in annoyance. He should cut it, it was long again. He didn't understand how it still grew if he didn't age, his nails did that too.

And it was annoying as hell.

He needed sleep, yet he was afraid to. It seemed that the longer he stayed awake the clearer his mind was and when he did sleep things were foggy and broken when he woke.

He sighed silently and lay down, knowing exactly what would happen when he fell asleep. He'd dream of his past, of the things he was forgetting, but when he woke he couldn't remember,

The dreams started as soon as he fell asleep and only in them could he recall that they weren't dreams but memories, and only in them he realized what a sorry state he was in.

The dreams always started with Tifa. She wasn't young anymore, a women in her fifties...

* * *

"Would you watch the kids so I can go with Marlene to visit Cid?", Tifa had asked him.

"Of course Tifa", he'd immediately replied.

"Thanks, we all know how much you adore them anyway", she'd laughed.

Cloud could remember when he was watching Marlene and Denzel, until they got to old for that of course. By the time Denzel was thirteen he was always running off with his friends, and Marlene followed him everywhere. Tifa had been twenty eight at the time, she'd gotten into a relationship with Barrett and the two had married, deciding not to have any kids since they already had Marlene and Denzel. So if Tifa wasn't off with her friends then she was out with Barrett somewhere.

The house had been rather empty without them.

It felt as if he was being forgotten, fading from the minds of his friends. But he never said anything, he didn't want them to worry. He thought it his duty to except whatever task they gave him because he had the time and strength to do so.

He'd went to watch the kids. Marlene and that boy Tristan had gotten together around the age of eighteen and had been with each other since, around twenty one Tristan and Marlene had married and had two children, Ro, who was eight, and Millie, who was ten. It had been thirty years since the day the Planet spoke to him and Marlene had just turned thirty six, Tristan was thirty nine.

It had been strange to watch time go by and everyone grow older while he himself didn't. Vincent and Nanaki had understood, knowing the pain of living longer than their friends, and offered him support.

He'd gotten a call a couple days later from the hospital in Rocket Town, and had been informed him that Tifa was in the emergency room because of heart failure. To say he'd panicked had been an understatement. He'd asked a neighbor to watch little Ro and Millie and gotten on a ship to the continent Rocket Town was on.

Barrett had been there as well having found his own mode of transportation from North Corel, and was sitting in a chair beside Tifa.

Tifa had been awake for only three hours before she fell asleep.

She had died two days later.

And Barrett had died soon after out of grief.

Marlene had cried and cried and Denzel had come from where he worked in Fort Condor to attend the funeral. The two were buried on the same day, right beside each other. Tifa had died at fifty three and Barrett had died at sixty seven, though the age span had meant little to them.

Cloud had felt a piece of himself disappear that day.

He took to traveling, hoping to wane the misery that was growing inside him, passing by now and again to check how everyone was doing. Pretty soon it felt like he was patrolling the Planet for danger, as he went around and around in a set pattern. In about two years most of the world knew when he'd be around, it was no longer 'The Case Of The Missing Cloud' as Yuffie so kindly put it.

It had been four years after Tifa and Barrett's deaths that he lost another friend. Cid had died at sixty eight. The funeral was much like the one of the past, Marlene cried, Denzel showed up with as did the rest of Avalanche.

Cloud lost another piece of himself.

He thought that Vincent noticed his waning sanity because the silent man began traveling with him.

And then the most fucked up, ironic, and a pain in the ass kind of thing had happened.

Cloud started to age backwards.

It only went on for a year, but he now resembled an eighteen year old and the world was in an uproar about it. He'd never seen so many doctors excited about one thing. Sure they'd been excited about his immortality, but something about growing younger instead of older _really_ made them hyper.

Which had led to what Yuffie called, 'The Bitch Fit Of All Time'.

Causing him to beat more than a few doctors and scientists.

Which in turn had scared a lot of parents whose children adored him.

Which in turn meant he couldn't play with any of the kids for a couple months.

Which had really sucked.

Then about four yars later Yuffie and Shera died.

Another part of the puzzle gone missing.

The other people he had known died within the next ten years, leaving Vincent, Nanaki, and himself with the next generation, and himself broken into pieces that no longer fit together because some were missing.

When DeepGround had emerged the world panicked. Avalanche was gone. All that remained were two solitary quiet men and a cat thing. Things went badly at first, the three were out of sync, but it evened out within a few weeks and they were kicking butt again. When Vincent's Protomateria was stolen, and Chaos began to cause problems, Cloud and Nanaki grew worried and angry for their friend. All three worked hard to find information on DeepGround, eventually learning that the group was going to summon Omega, one of the weapons, but had needed to change their plans because of Cloud's bond with the Planet and their worry that it would hamper their original ideas.

Cloud had been present when Vincent lost control to Chaos and the creature destroyed DeepGround and Omega. Cloud had been severely injured by Chaos in the attack, and had lost consciousness because he would not fight back, worried that he might hurt Vincent. When he awoke he couldn't remember as much as before. Like where he'd been born. Vincent, who had apologized earlier, had anxiously told him he was from Nibelheim. Cloud had nodded and said okay, because he still couldn't remember.

After that the world was peaceful again. Marlene and Denzel died a few years later, and he decided to distance himself from everyone, fading into the more wild regions.

Three hundred years passed rather quickly.

He took to traveling again, and kept in contact with Nanaki and Vincent, meeting them in Midgar every year since they'd included him in a promise they made when they'd been hunting for Sephiroth.

Around four hundred years after he became immortal, Cloud stopped speaking. He wouldn't even talk to Vincent or Nanaki.

Nanaki had pups around that time, to Cloud's delight, as he didn't have to worry about his life Span to much around them. He'd hung around Cosmo Canyon for a year or so, playing with the pups when they got old enough, he hadn't been so happy in a long time.

Vincent and Nanaki realized this and encouraged him to visit children in towns, since every child seemed to love him. After much hassle they dragged him to the area of Midgar, as Edge didn't really exist anymore.

His friends had been right.

Kids loved him once they got used to the fact that a legendary man wanted to play with them. It was all very strange for them. Their parents found it odd but quite adorable how Cloud allowed them to jump all over him and tackle him, but never let anyone else. Cloud looked happier, even if he didn't smile, you could see it in his eyes.

The blue wasn't as dead as before.

* * *

_Wow, this is going faster than I thought. Well, thank you Ginshi-chan for the tip. I was thinking about that while writing but wasn't to sure about it and the push got me going.  
__The next chapter should be out soon and please review.  
__Koure.  
_


	4. Chapter 3

"Aerith, any luck?", Angeal asked as he approached the sitting girl.

She shook her head and brushed Zack's hair from his face, the man still slept peacefully, oblivious to what was happening.

"I'm glad we gave him this option", she said to Angeal as the older man sat beside her.

"Yes, it's been a long time, he wouldn't have been able to take", Angeal said. The older man sighed, he wondered how the Planet couldn't see how her Chosen was broken. The Planet couldn't be that blind. And yet it was letting Cloud suffer.

"Could the Planet have an ulterior motive for letting this go on?", he asked Aerith.

She looked up at him slightly confused, "An ulterior motive? What do you mean by that exactly?".

Angeal thought for a minute, "Is it possible that the Planet wants him to forget everything? So that he can fight for it without a biased opinion?"

"I can see how you'd think that, and it's possible I guess but I don't think so", Aerith said. She didn't know what to think, she just knew Cloud needed help. Once again she brushed Zack's hair from his face and giggled a bit as it fell right back.

"He looks happy", she said, pointing to the little smile on Zack's face.

Angeal chuckled and nodded in agreement.

"I wonder what he's dreaming about", Aerith thought aloud.

"I'll bet it's food. It's what he complained about the most second to not seeing Cloud. He thinks it's horrible that we don't need to eat up here", Angeal laughed.

"I'll bet it's ice-cream. He was always eating it when I saw him", she mused while holding in laughter.

"There was a time in tr-", Angeal stopped speaking as a man appeared, looking frightened.

"Sir! Janbire has ordered you and Miss Aerith to the water pool!", the man informed.

"Come on Aerith", Angeal said and stood. Nodding at the man and then phasing to where Janbire was.

The Life Stream was complicated in a simple way. If you wanted to go to a person, you focus on them and then phase, you'll go to where they are. There was no set place, and you couldn't walk to a person because you'd walk on forever. Something Zack had to learn the hard way. If two people wanted to go to the same place, like the pool for instance, one went first concentrating on the place, and the next person concentrated on the one who went first. If two people phased at the same time and both had the intention to go to the pool, they'd get there, but they wouldn't hear or see the other. It's like there are different pools. Or dimensions.

So to get to Janbire, Aerith and Angeal both had to focus on her and not the pool itself. Which was relatively easy after five hundred years of practice, Zack in the time he'd been awake, had never gotten it and preferred to let people come to him because the poor guy just couldn't concentrate on one thing at all.

Angeal and Aerith went to Janbire, who was sitting by the pool watching the particles accumulate and form pictures over and over again.

"Janbire, you wanted us?", Aerith asked.

Looking up worriedly Janbire nodded and motioned them over, "Come look at this"

They walked over, for some reason the Life Stream always made them appear several feet away, and looked into the pool, sitting down while it was changing into a new image.

Janbire turned and motioned the messenger away and turned back to catch the newest picture.

Of anything Aerith had expected it to be, this was not it.

A needle and syringe filled with Jenova cells.

Beside it a bloodied surgical knife.

"What?", Aerith gasped.

Angeal looked on grimly.

The image changed again.

Cloud, standing in the rain with blood covering his body and his eyes half closed, his head tilted back to rest on a tall womens shoulder. The womens body was shaded pitch black and no feature could be seen. Though it appeared her arms were raised so her hands were beside his neck, fingers caressing his throat.

"Dear Gaia", Janbire murmured, her voice frightened, as the other two looked on in horror.

The image changed and Aerith didn't want to look, but she did anyway.

Cloud, beaten and bloodied on the ground, his head laying in the shaded womens lap with a loving smile on his face as her hand dug into his chest, right above his heart.

"What is this?", Angeal demanded furiously.

"I've no idea. It started spewing random images of Cloud and surgical equipment, it wasn't until you got here that the women appeared", Janbire explained.

"It's changing again", Aerith pointed out. She couldn't imagine why this was happening, and apparently Janbire didn't know either. That in itself was frightening as the women had been around for close to three thousand years...

"What is it?", Janbire asked in confusion.

"I've got no idea", Angeal replied just as confused.

It was a odd looking object, something that didn't look familiar or normal. It looked like a syringe and needle, but it had straps on it and a small metal frame that formed a dome.

The image went away, but returned again as the same picture repeatedly.

"We need to know what this is. If the Planet is showing it over and over there must be something important about it", Janbire said and Aerith nodded.

But it was strange that the Planet wasn't contacting them through their bond.

"How can we figure out what it is?", Aerith asked.

"I'd like to know what is going on with Cloud more", Angeal stated.

All three sighed. This was bad, they could feel it.

"It looks like something Hojo would have used", Aerith mused offhandedly.

Angeal's face twisted a bit at the mention of Hojo, but he seemed otherwise unaffected by the bad reminder.

"It does a bit", he conceded after some thought.

"We need to find out what it is, the planet must be showing it to us for a reason", Janbire said.

"I doubt just anyone would recognize it...", Aerith said.

The images went by and by with nothing new showing for the next hour or so as they searched the Life Stream for someone who would recognize it, one of them remained there at all times just in case it showed something else.

"I haven't had any luck", Aerith said to Angeal.

"Neither have I, but I was thinking... Maybe Zack would know", he said hesitantly.

Aerith thought for a minute, it was likely since he had... experience with Hojo and equipment like that. "I guess... But should we wake him? I don't want him to see those pictures of Cloud if they come back", she fretted.

"We can't baby him, it's his right to know these things since Cloud's his lover", Angeal pointed out.

"Alright", Aerith sighed and the two phased to where Zack rested.

The landscape changed with the people who arrived, and at the moment it had the meadow of white and yellow flowers that always appeared with Aerith. It wasn't the Banora tree's since she'd gotten there after Angeal, whose had been there for the briefest second.

She kneeled by Zack and brushed his hair back, a habit of hers, and tapped his face lightly. "Wake up Zack, we need you", she said.

She wasn't positive how she'd put him to sleep, really she'd only wished for him to fall asleep and stay that way until she decided it was time for him to wake up. Now she wished for him to wake, though it didn't really take much concentration.

His eyes opened lazily and he smiled up at her. "What's up Aerith", he said. And then he yawned.

Aerith giggled, and watched him sit up. "It's good to see you up again silly", she said happily.

Zack looked confused for a second, looking from her up to Angeal who smiled at him, and back to her before remembering.

"It it time?", he almost shouted and leapt up. "How long has it been? Is Cloud okay? What's happened? How has he been?", he asked rapidly. He was on his feet in a second, head whipping to Angeal and back to Aerith and then back to Angeal.

"Calm down Zack, it isn't time yet", Angeal ordered. He looked to Aerith for a way to explain why they'd woken Zack up. But she was as clueless as how to explain the situation as him.

Zack obviously deflated, and the confusion returned again. He'd assumed that they wouldn't wake him up except for when he could go to Cloud...

"So... Why am I awake?", he asked them.

Neither answered immediately, so he took the time to study them. People didn't really change in the Life Stream except if they wanted to be as they were at a different age, which could be fun as hell. Being seventeen one minute and five the next really startled people.

Angeal looked the same, not a bit changed from when Zack had last seen him, whenever that had been. His eyes however, seemed even older than before...

Aerith was the same, and her eyes were a lot like Angeal's except they seemed more peaceful. This made Zack wonder what had been going on.

He also wanted to hear about Cloud, he wanted to see how he was in that pool of water. He felt pained at the thought of how long Cloud had been waiting for him.

"We need your help Zack", Aerith finally said. "In the pool, there's been... Some pretty disturbing images, and one of them we need help identifying", she said.

"What is it?", he asked.

"If we knew that we wouldn't be asking you would we?", Angeal dryly informed him. How could Zack act so clueless?

"Oh yeah...", Zack scratched the back of his head and shrugged. "Well, shall you go first so I have something to focus on?"

"Of course", Angeal said and phased away to Janbire who had remained at the pool.

Aerith followed after Zack disappeared and arrived to find a very stunned and wide eyed Zack staring at the image in the pool.

"Zack?", Angeal tapped his former students shoulder.

"I-I recognize it", Zack whispered.

He sat down suddenly, letting out a humorless laugh on the way down. "I forgot about that, but now I remember", He brought his knees to his chest and rested his head on them.

"What did you forget Zack?", Aerith asked carefully. It wasn't like Zack to forget something, especially a memory with meaning and emotion behind it. As this particular one seemed to be affecting him.

"I almost killed Cloud", the statement was blunt and distant but still jarring to the listeners, which now consisted of Angeal, Aerith, and Janbire.

"Why would you say that?", Angeal asked, frowning, and sat beside Zack.

"I-It was part of what Hojo made me do in the labs", Zack's voice shook.

"Zack... You've never told us he made you do anything, you said he left you alone", Aerith said worriedly.

"I couldn't remember", Zack whispered and fell into the memory, reciting what he saw to his friends.

* * *

"I won't let go Cloud, I promise", Zack whispered and clutched the straps tighter in his fists. His legs were bound to the floor just below his knees so he couldn't stand and one of his wrists were sprained, but there was no way in hell he'd let go of the damned rubber.

As bad as it seemed for him, it was much worse for Cloud. The boy was laid flat on a surgical table, beaten and bloodied from their attempt to escape Hojo's labs and barely conscious. Above him a large metallic contraption was poised with a frighteningly large needle pointed at Cloud's chest, the syringe it was connected to held a dark blue liquid.

This was their punishment besides being beaten, Zack would have to hold the machine above Cloud all night to keep him from being injected with the liquid. Whatever this seemingly small machine was made of, it was by no means light, and he found himself losing his grip more and more often.

"Damn", he groaned as his wrist began throbbing again. He wasn't sure how much longer he could do this, and he hoped that the assistants would come and relieve him of the burden.

He tried to spend the time looking at Cloud's face, wishing his lovers eyes would open, and so he could see the color of the sky again, so he could see some type of love again. He was also very worried about Cloud's health, in the fight before they'd been taken captive again the kid had been kicked in the temple, effectively calling it lights out for the boy.

This had only been worsened when they'd been beaten, as Cloud didn't have a chance to defend himself. Zack had only hurt his wrist all in all, he had a couple scratches but the Jenova cells in his body would take care of that. The thought of the Jenova cells only brought more worry, Cloud hadn't been taking to them, they acted like poison to him.

Zack liked to think that was because he was too pure for something as filthy as Jenova.

He let out groan as his shoulder popped, and his right hand almost let go of the straps he held in it. The machine dropped a little and he watched wide eyed as the point of the needle peirced Cloud's skin.

It was barely a prick, but it was enough to make him shout out the boy's name in fear, he didn't want the liquid anywhere _near_ his Cloud.

Cloud seemed to regain consciousness as his breathing became more ragged than before and his pretty blue eyes opened to look at his love.

Zack nearly whimpered with relief that Cloud was awake and okay. But it was short lived, he lost even more hold to the straps and the needle sunk deeper into Cloud's body, about an inch, causing the boy's breathing to hitch.

"Z-Zack, what's going on?", Cloud asked quietly.

Zack looked up at Cloud as tears began to trail his face, "It's our punishment for trying to escape, if I can hold on we won't be punished but Cloud, I'm losing my grip"

Cloud watched him in concern for a second before looking up to the machine.

"I won't blame you if you let go", Cloud said, and looked back down at him, absolutely sincere.

"I'm not letting go!", Zack snapped.

Cloud looked hurt for a second before looking up at the machine again.

"I'm sorry babe...", Zack apologized and let the tears fall thicker since Cloud wasn't looking.

"It's been so long since you called me that... Y-You still love me right?", Zack was astonished to hear the heartbreak in the others voice.

"Of course I still love you Cloud! I always have and always will", Zack promised.

"I love you to", Cloud whispered and looked down at him.

At that moment Zack lost his hold.

"No!", He shouted desperately as the needle plunged deep into Cloud's chest, and the machine began whirring. He struggled in his bonds to get up, to help his Cloud, but it was no use.

Cloud whispered 'I love you' again as the liquid finally entered his body. No more than three seconds later, the small, breakable, blond was screaming, screaming in such pain and agony that Zack could almost taste it.

Zack felt bile raise in his throat, but he didn't puke. He tried to curl up and block the screams of his lover from his mind, block the guilt eating at him.

This was his fault.

* * *

By the time the tale was over Zack was practically sobbing. He'd fallen asleep in the lab, after exhausting himself and trying to wake Cloud after the boy fell unconscious hours later. When he woke he had no memory of what had happened. Cloud certainly hadn't reminded him and had kept quieter after that.

"That's horrible", Aerith sobbed right beside him.

Angeal pulled them both close and rubbed their backs. "Cloud obviously forgave you Zack", he reassured.

Zack nodded, but still felt his heart grow heavy with guilt. Cloud's silence had eventually led to his comatose state. He'd been the reason behind it, if he'd held on he could have saved Cloud, maybe even himself...

"What the hell is that?", Janbire's sudden outburst startled them and all three looked into the pool.

What they saw was quite disturbing. More so than that of earlier.

The image did not fade. It remained and a figure walked closer and closer in the image. All four stood up as the face came into view. I

It was the shadowed women.

She wore a large predator like grin on her face, her eyes glowed a distinct red.

She looked from each of them before resting on Zack, her grin widening even more if possible.

And she leapt through the water.

Her body changed as she entered the Life Stream, her skin paling to a lavender like color, with primitive clothing on her body and only covering the necessaries.

It was Jenova.

Her hand clasped around Zack's throat for the briefest second before she was gone, hurled from the Life Stream by the Planet itself which cried out in anguish so loud that even Zack could hear it.

Aerith turned to him quickly and latched onto his arm, nearly fainting at the assault of emotions.

Janbire held up better, likely through practice, and her eyes suddenly widened. "Time to go Zack!", she shouted as quakes ran through the Life Stream. She grasped his head in her hands and Aerith stood shakily trying not to fall.

Angeal put a hand on his shoulder as reassurance.

"Time to go", Zack said as confirmation that he was ready to leave.

Aerith and Janbire both clasped their hands together and began to pray, their hopes seemed to echo through the Life Stream.

The next second Zack was gone.

* * *

A thirteen year old boy with spikey black hair and electric blue eyes suddenly appeared in Gongaga, startling the villagers at first but then believing that he'd been sent by those who had moved on in the Life Stream. They excepted him into their culture, raising him as the boy seemed to have no memory of himself but his name.

Zack.

* * *

_Hallelujah! I did it! After all the frigging trouble I had to go through! My computer got a virus, part of the chapter got accidentally erased, and my cousin was causing trouble with my concentration, IT'S DONE!_

_Special thanks to Christian, my friend, who entertained me when I was mega bored as hell._

_Review please? I'd love some more feed back..._


	5. Chapter 4

Alright, here is the next chapter and I hope you guys are enjoying it. I love the reviews!

* * *

I man with blond hair walked calmly through the small village of Gongaga, his face raised to the sky in a peaceful appearance, inside he was in turmoil.

Cloud Strife could remember that this was Zack's hometown, so the man had kept an eye on it over the last five hundred years, this place had special meaning to him. It had been a long time since he'd last been here though, four years. When Nanaki and Vincent decided to drag him around visiting children, they'd made him visit the town. Of course, it had taken a lot of convincing and Vincent had mentioned that he could at least go there to check on the town, which had in the end won the debate because Cloud loved the little town, even if it made him so sad.

They'd stayed in the general area for about three days before moving on, Nanaki had apparently decided to join the two, it seemed he was having trouble raising kids and needed a break. Preferably a long one he'd said.

About a week after leaving, the Planet screamed.

All three of them heard it, as they were all, in some way or another, connected to the Planet. Something very wrong had happened, but strangely whatever had caused such fear was gone. Not even the Planet could tell where it'd gone.

So they'd looked around, searching out the feral areas and towns for whatever disaster was lying in wait. Stranger still, no one could report anything out of the ordinary.

So they'd decided to just relax while keeping observant eyes open and searching as they went about their business.

So now he was in Gongaga, checking on the little town alone as proof to Vincent that he _could_ cope alone and without speaking.

And dammit did he ever want to have his independence back.

It was early morning, barely sunrise and not many people were up and about so he wasn't noticed until a women hanging some clothes saw him pass by. She's smiled and waved, before rushing into her house and waking up some of the children in there. They'd gathered round the door to watch him go, this man that they'd played with four years ago, who was the Hero of the whole world.

He went and rented a place at the inn, using the Gil he earned in whatever ways possible to pay though the women said he didn't need to.

The strangest thing was that they never expected him to talk. Which was quite a relief since Nanaki and Vincent usually pushed him to be responsive in some way.

By noon most of the town knew he was there.

He left his room after sleeping for a bit, waking up slightly clueless and depressed as always. He walked outside and just wandered, really looking for something to do since he needed to vent somehow.

_Zack_

He stilled in a casual way, his facade never dropping. What had summoned Zack to his mind? Other than that he was in Gongaga of course... With a mental sigh he walked to a low hanging tree and ducked under the branches, taking his swords from his back and placing them beside him. He sat with his back to the trunk and one leg pulled up so he could rest his chin on his knee, and the other out straight.

_'Love ya babe'_

Zack had said that. Zack had said that a lot, before...

Cloud's brow furrowed in frustration, it wasn't as clear anymore, he just remembered... Pain, lots of pain, and love. Love thrown in for Zack. Leaving him open to the pain, Zack hadn't done that, Zack had kept the pain away by taking Cloud's love and holding his own inside. Not that Cloud blamed him, he'd never blame his black haired lover for keeping himself safe.

... But what had caused the pain?

A man. Zack? No. No, Zack loved him, and he loved Zack, still.

Who?

_Scientist_

That's right. It had been a scientist, his name was forgotten for now, as it hurt to think about the man and he didn't want to deal with the pain of remembering at the moment.

Zack still consumed his thoughts though, no matter how hard he tried to shut the memories out. Soon his throat was tight, and his eyes felt itchy. He raise a hand and rubbed them softly, trying to ease the irritation. '_Miss you'_, Cloud thought sadly.

_Miss you, love you_

Crystalline tears fell from his face onto the black fabric of his pants and he pressed a cheek onto his knee. His hands clasped onto the roots, and his eyes strayed to the Buster Sword.

"Why are you crying Mister?", a voice sounded from right beside him.

Startled, he looked up to see a little girl leaning over him, obviously concerned. She wore some green knee length shorts and a white top, she looked about nine and wore long black hair up in a ponytail.

He hurriedly wiped the tears away, inwardly lecturing himself for letting a child sneak up on him.

"Come on Mister, let's go play", she said and motioned him to get up. She knew who he was of course, he was the Hero, and she remembered when he'd visited and played with the children four years ago, she's been one of them.

She ducked under the branches and took a few steps away, listening to him grab the swords and then watching him walk out. She grabbed his hand and dragged him through the streets, towards the little play ground.

"My names Fay", she told him.

When they arrived there were some kids running around, she led him to the middle of the play ground, and they both sat down. After a while she started getting frigidity and he tapped her shoulder.

_'__Go play', _he thought and motioned with his hand at the other kids who were running around.

"Okay Mister", she said thankfully and ran off.

He watched the children play, giving the mothers a much needed break from the energetic kids and a chance to chat with each other.

He leaned back and relaxed while keeping a close eye on two of the boys, they were up to something, he could tell. Being around children so much had given him a clear understanding that young boys loved doing stupid things.

Country kids in particular.

He grew a little more anxious when he noticed someone lurking in the forest, a teen. Whoever it was, stood in the shadows and talked to the two boys every time they came near, the kids nodded and would trot off, under a slide or wooden castle and then return.

A little later their mothers noticed the look he was giving them, and focused their attention on their children. Soon enough they realized that the kids were up to something and started after them.

Realizing this, the two kids looked at the person hidden in the shadows, who apparently gave them some cue, and they dived underneath one of the play ground domes.

A faint hissing started up, and smoke began to flow from under the dome, the castle, and several slides. Cloud stood up rather quickly, somewhat worried about the noise but sure it was nothing he couldn't handle.

It got thick enough that a normal human couldn't see, and everyone was left blind but Cloud.

He saw the teen run into the woods, and began to follow him but stopped when a voice was heard from under the castle.

"Mom?", he recognized it as Fay's voice and ducked underneath to get her.

She was looking around wildly, eyes open wide and blinking continuously to stop them from watering. The smoke was irritating her eyes.

Once he was about three feet from her she saw him, not recognizing who it was at first but relieved to have help all the same.

"Thank you, I can't see in here", she said.

He helped her out, and took her to where all the parents were waiting anxiously.

"Fay!", a black haired women called out when she saw her.

Fay let go of his hand and ran to the women, looking quite happy to be out of the smoke.

"Thank You Sir", the women said.

Cloud shrugged his shoulders a little bit in response, his way of saying 'No problem'.

He turned around after making sure all the kids were accounted for, even the two supposed accomplices, who were being lectured in the extremes. He walked through the smoke, still clearing up, and into the woods. The teens tracks were still clear, and Cloud intended to follow them to the one who had planned the smoke bombing.

As Yuffie would have called it, '_Operation: Scare the Shit Out of the Stalker'_, was in motion.

* * *

"I'm screwed!", Zack moaned as he walked. He couldn't believe he'd done that with the fucking _Hero of the world_ sitting right there.

He swore to Gaia he hadn't seen the man tell it was too late.

The last smoke bomb had been in place, and he'd signaled the boys, then he'd noticed the blond man with the giant ass swords standing in a defensive way.

Then he'd been like, '_Oh shit'._

He'd took off as fast as he could, trying to be sure no one saw him slip away and prayed that no one noticed him.

After walking for another ten minutes he stopped and sat down on a log, cursing how unobservant he was.

"I'm am so dead!", he groaned.

He banged his fist against his for head and tried to think a way out of this mess. If anyone found out that it had been him it was likely they'd send him to another town, since he'd been pulling these kinds of tricks for years without getting caught and if anyone realized he'd done this it wouldn't be hard to connect him to the other jokes.

Then again he might prefer that to facing the blond man.

Zack _really really really_ didn't want to face the Hero. He was terrified of the thought. He'd heard a lot of stories about this man since he arrived in Gongaga, head empty of memories at the age of thirteen, it had been four years and he was seventeen now, but that didn't help it.

He was so _screwed._

He pulled his jacker closer to him, it had been uncommonly cold that winter, and hell, he was _not _made for the cold.

He kept his hood on in the off chance that he'd been followed, he didn't need anyone to see him and recognize him later because of his spiky black hair.

He stood up and started to walk off again, but got no more than three feet before something relatively large and solid was being held against his neck.

Stopping immediately, he held his hands in the air and turned around slowly. He kept his eyes closed and his face to the ground, because in the brief glimpse of the item against his neck he'd recognized it to be the Hero's weapon, First Tsurugi.

He was so friggin screwed.

They both did nothing for a few moments before Cloud moved the sword to the edge of the hood, right beside Zack's right eye.

Zack gulped as the sword point pushed the fabric back a bit, and he hesitantly pulled the hood down.

The sword was gone the second he looked up, his blue eyes meeting blue and green.

The only thing Cloud felt and resembled was complete and utter shock.

Because standing before him was his dead lover.


	6. Chapter 5

Cloud inhaled sharply, his eyes wide and his hand loosening until he dropped the sword. It fell with a heavy thud onto the twigs and leaves that littered the red dirt, making Zack flinch a bit.

Less than a second after seeing Zack flinch Cloud was directly in front of him, eyes studying the seventeen year old in concern.

Faced with such a look, from the Hero no less, Zack felt a bit uncomfortable, and he took several steps back.

"I am _really_ sorry for what I did earlier Sir, honest", Zack apologized anxiously. Maybe he could get the Hero to understand that he wasn't really causing any harm, and that he was just having a bit of fun.

Cloud shook his head, waving the apology off. He gripped Zack's chin with his fingers, gently turning his head to look up at him, and not to where his gaze had returned, the ground.

He looked into the Raven's eyes, looking, _expecting, _recognition.

Zack was a bit startled when Cloud pulled his head up, and blushed a bit when the Hero looked into his eyes. Cloud had very... Gorgeous eyes. They were a light blue color, rimmed with light green around the iris.

The blush around his face brightened when he realized that he'd just complimented the Hero's eyes like that. Of course, he'd always heard that Cloud was beautiful from his adoptive mom and the neighborhood girls but... He'd never seen him before. Only heard a lot about him, like that he never aged, and that he was over a hundred years old. Zack didn't think he looked a hundred years old, he looked young and like a teenager, a very hot teenager.

Wait... What the hell was he thinking?

A minute later Cloud looked away, letting go of Zack's chin which tingled at the sudden loss of warmth.

Cloud stepped away, turning away and beginning to walk off as the disappointment and pain settled in his heart. Zack didn't recognize him. It stung to have him there, but for his lover not to recognize him, remember what they'd had. He was sure this was Zack to, there was no way someone could look so like him and not be him.

He heard the Raven following him, and knew that he was likely worrying about getting in trouble, but he couldn't look at him. Couldn't look at that face and into those eyes.

"Um...", Zack murmured, still embarrassed. "So... Is your sword heavy?", he asked, a little more eager.

Cloud looked at him, a bit startled at the randomness of the question. He shrugged and looked down, thinking for a moment before reaching up to First Tsurugi. He laughed inwardly and looked back up when Zack started sputtering.

"Wh-what exactly are you doing?", the Raven stuttered nervously, his eyes wide. He held his hands up beside his head, palms open.

Cloud dropped the point of the sword to touch the ground, and pushed the handle towards Zack, '_Try it'._

"A-are you serious?", Zack asked, starting to get excited. This was to awesome to be real.

Cloud nodded, holding the sword out until Zack reached out to grab it. The Raven's hand shook a bit, and he gulped when Cloud let go. He stared at it for a second before trying to lift it, getting it an inch off the ground before gasping and setting it back down again.

"How do you even carry that? Two of them?", Zack asked incredulously. He looked up at the Blond, eyes growing even wider.

Cloud shrugged and took the sword back, swinging it onto the clasp on his back. He motioned with his hand, and the two started walking. For a few minutes Zack stayed silent, but he fidgeted throughout the time, wondering what would happen once they got to the town and how Cloud could have that much strength.

"So, uh... Are you gonna tell them it was me?", Zack quarried worriedly.

Cloud shook his head, looking back at Zack. The Raven's shoulders slumped with relief and a sigh left him.

"Thanks, really. They would kick me out of town if they found out I've been pulling these pranks for the last few years", Zack explained. Cloud's eyes grew curious, or something close to curiousness, his eyes were still dampened with sadness.

"You don't talk do you?", Zack asked, realizing that in their time together Cloud hadn't spoken a single word, or uttered a sound. He'd heard that the Hero was silent but... He'd never really believed it until now.

"Can you? Talk I mean?", he questioned. He couldn't really believe that the World's Hero was wasting time answering his questions.

Cloud looked at the Raven, eyes locking with with Zack's. They held so many emotions, fear, awe, curiousness... And, insecurety? Yeah, it was there, well hidden behind the familiar energy that Zack held. That was strange.

He thought about the question, yeah he could talk, but he couldn't quite remember how. Finally, he shrugged.

"Cool, why don't you?", Zack asked, he looked ahead, and noticed the town. "I guess I gotta go home huh?", he sighed. He remembered when he first got there, the towns people had been in shock and... Awe? Whatever, it hadn't lasted for long. Soon enough they'd started treating him regularly, and then after that, worse than a lot of other people. The older kids had started teasing him, beating him, along with a few other adults. Just because he couldn't remember, because he couldn't prove his blood lines, they'd beaten him. He'd learned to look cheerful all the time, it felt good because he actually was happy most of the time, and it pissed them off to no end.

Zack looked back at Cloud, looking into his eyes and seeing the recognition in them. '_He might know who I am...', _he thought.. This may be his only chance to learn who he was, he still thought he might remember but... What if he couldn't on his own?

"Um... Do you think... Maybe, we could talk again?", Zack asked uncertainly.

Cloud looked at him again, eyes blank. He knew that this might not be a good idea but... But this was Zack, and he'd do whatever Zack wanted. Slowly he nodded.

"Yes! Er... Thanks", Zack said, barking happily inside. He bounced around happily for a few more minutes until he had to turn onto a different street to get to his house.

"So... Can I just come by the Inn later or something?", Zack asked. Cloud nodded and watched Zack turn and walk down the road before slipping through the front door of a little brown house.

The Blond sighed silently and walked to the Inn, entering his room and sitting on the bed with his head against the wall and back against the had board. A flutter of happiness tingled through him, causing him to smile a little bit.

He wondered how this was possible, he'd prayed for it, but it had seemed that his pleas were never answered. Until now that is. Zack may not have his memory, but he still had the same spirit. Maybe his memories were just hidden from him, and with a little help they could be found.

He thought to himself for a little longer, wondering exactly how Zack's life had been so far. He wanted answers to his questions, but he figured Zack would tell him in time. After all, the blond could guarantee that Zack would be back to ask more questions.

* * *

_Sorry, I am soo sorry it took so long! I have major writers block and I got hacked three times on another website so my attention was a bit divided. Thank you to who ever is still reading this story and those that are reviewing!_


	7. Chapter 6

Cloud woke the next morning happier than he'd been in a long time. He got dressed, fingering some of the scars on his chest, so neat and perfectly straight. He frowned a little, knowing he'd gotten them from the scientist. Zack had been there as well, and had scars from it, though not as many. The Scientist had given Zack injections rather than lacerations like Cloud.

Cloud shrugged the bad memory away and finished dressing, grabbing The Buster Sword and First Tsurugi and placing them in their holders on his back. He walked out of the Inn, deciding to take a walk in the forest though his feet itched to take him to Zack.

As he was walking, his cell phone rang. He jumped a little, he'd forgotten he had it since he never used it. It was just routine to slip it into his pocket before going anywhere.

He pulled it out, the little device disturbing the otherwise peaceful forest. Deftly he flipped it open, taking a pause to look at who was on the other line.

"Hello Cloud", Vincent's soft voice greeted him.

He didn't do anything except shift his feet.

"You really should start speaking, it's hard to understand what you mean when I can't see you", Vincent chastised. Making Cloud wonder how the man knew he'd moved.

"I know you well enough to realize how you speak without words. In any case, how is Gongaga?", He asked.

'_How am I supposed to answer that?_', Cloud thought, staying silent.

"By talking, Cloud. It won't hurt you to speak", Vincent said.

'_Vincent's a mind reader_', Cloud thought, slightly creeped out. It wasn't the first time something like this had occurred, but such situations were infrequent. None were successful in getting him to talk.

"Don't be foolish. It's simple to speak, children can do it. And infants make noise, yet you do not. Your going to need to one day, and how will it be, if you find you can't? Speak", Vincent ordered.

"...", Cloud glowered at the ground. It wasn't like he didn't want to talk, he just didn't care for it. He had tried, but it seemed like his brain had been rewired over the years and his body thought sound was no longer necessary.

"... Nanaki wishes to speak with you later, expect a call. Be careful Cloud", Vincent sighed and hung up.

Cloud closed the phone and put it back into his pocket. He looked at the sky, gray and unusually cloudy for Gongaga. He wondered what Nanaki wanted to tell him, but knew it wasn't very important if he hadn't called yet.

Cloud walked around for awhile longer, red leaves crunching beneath his boots, before turning back for town.

* * *

"It's really heavy, I mean, like as heavy as a truck!", Zack said, eyes wide. "It's as big as a motorcycle", he opened his arms wide, trying to show his audience of children. "And as deadly as a dragon...", he finished with a dark, intimidating voice.

Some of the littler kids 'eep'ed and hid behind the older ones, while said older kid's looked on a little sceptically. "You really held the Hero's sword?", A girl asked. She was about thirteen with long, wavy, brown hair, wearing some jeans and a white tank top.

"Yeah, well, I held it, but I couldn't pick it up, only about an inch", he explained, using his thumb and index finger to display an inch. He lifted his fingers to his eye, and proceeded to pretend to smoosh the disbelieving brat, who was _four years_ _younger_ than him, for questioning his absolute wisdom and superior likability.

"Granted it is big, but as deadly as a dragon? Wouldn't it be the wielder who's deadly and not the blade?", she snidely questioned.

He brought his fingers down after one last smoosh.

"Listen here _kid_, I don't think a wielder, as you put it, could do shit without the sword", Zack corrected smugly.

The girl rolled her eyes. "Are you calling the World's Hero weak? And I don't see the sword lifting itself off the ground and kicking ass", she said. Most of the little kid's did that annoying little 'ooh' thing, while others looked like they wanted to go off and tell on Zack and the girl for cussing.

Zack gave them a, 'don't think about it or else look' and turned back to the girl.

"Well, that puts me in an awkward position. Remember everyone isn't as strong as the Hero", Zack said. She rolled her eyes again.

"We don't need you pointing that out. He's the best at everything. He's stronger than anything on the planet. He's smarter. He's the coolest", It was Zack's turn to roll his eyes as she chattered. She was an intelligent fangirl, one of the deadliest creatures he'd ever heard of. He could see some other girls nodding and realized that he'd walked into the fangirls midst. He looked at some of the other boys, who were looking pale themselves. Very, _very_, discreetely, him and the other boys inched away. Which in Gongagan terms meant they ran like a Guard Hound was after their asses.

Zack laughed as he ran, hearing the girls yelling at them. He hadn't even noticed they were fangirls until that one started chattering. He looked behind him, sadly noticing the little boys were stuck with the girls. Well, they'd be honored for their little legs and short stamina.

In less then a second Zack found himself face down in the dirt. With a grimace he spit the soil out of his mouth and looked up.

"What are you up to mutt?", an eighteen year old Brunette asked contemptuously.

Zack glared at him. Figured Luke had to come ruin the fun. "Anything I can help you with?", Zack cheerfully asked, losing the glare. It wasn't safe to challenge Luke, mainly because he'd beat the shit out of the person who did it.

"Yeah, answer my question dog", Luke ordered. He was one of the villagers that disliked Zack for his lack of memory. He was only a year older, but he acted like he was one of the elders half the time.

"Nothin' really. Was running from some fangirls but otherwise nadda", Zack said and stood up. He dusted some of the red dirt off of his jeans, sighing when he realized that they were stained.

"Good. I need you to do something for me", Luke said quietly, a dark, tight lipped, smile on his face. He walked forward and put a hand on Zack's shoulder, then steered him into one of the alleys.

Zack looked at him nervously, not saying anything for once. He felt his back get pressed against the wall, and Luke put his hand against it, beside Zack's head.

Luke stared into Zack's eyes for a few moments, his own brown eyes searching. "Your a brave kid, right Zack?", he asked.

Zack breathed out shakily. If Luke was going by his actual name, then this was more serious than he thought. Hesitantly, he nodded.

"Good, are you smart?", Luke questioned.

"When I want to be...", Zack murmured and looked away from Luke's eyes. This wasn't good, he could feel it.

"Also good. Are you loyal?", The Brunette fingered a strand of Zack's hair, enjoying how he fidgeted.

"Y-Yeah", he leaned away from the prying fingers, not liking this at all. He might be able to fight, but it probably wouldn't do any good. He hated to admit it, but Luke was stronger than him. Zack had arrived at thirteen, so he didn't have the experience Luke did. Luke's parents were older than most when he was born, so he'd had to cope on his own to make up for their old age, plowing, planting, whatever. It made him strong.

But strength didn't equal morality or a good personality.

"Perfect. I need you to do something for me, Zack", Luke said, voice smooth as silk. He reached up with his free hand to grasp Zack's chin delicately.

"And what would that be?", Zack asked, head turning unwillingly to face Luke.

"I need you to take the Hero's swords", Luke said softly.

Zack's eyes widened, and he looked away again, "I'm not doing that".

"Why not?", Luke asked.

"B-Because he's the Hero, I can't steal from him. I won't", Zack said. Was Luke crazy? It was wrong to want to steal, but more so if it was from the Hero. He was the planet's protector for Gaias sake.

"Well that's a shame Zack, I was beginning to like having you around", Luke said, feigning sadness.

"What do you mean? I'm not going anywhere", Zack said. '_Like having me around? Says the guy who's been beating on me for four years', _Zack thought. He narrowed his eyes, trying to think of the implications of Luke's words with the guy so close to him. Their noses were less than three inches apart.

"Well that's not exactly true, you see... Quite a few of us know you've been pulling those pranks, it's not hard to see. How the elders haven't noticed I can't understand", Luke said softly, "But if someone were to point it out..."

Zack felt a chill run up his spine, and shivered. This situation _was_ serious, more than he thought possible. Steal the Hero's swords or get kicked out of his home? He'd rather get kicked out, but where would he go?

"I... I won't do it. I don't care if you tell the elders", Zack murmured. He could see Luke's brown eyes grow cold.

"Very well then Zack. Have fun finding someone who will take in a seventeen year old boy with a bad record and no memories", Luke sighed and straightened up. As he brought his hand from the wall he grabbed Zack's hair and pulled his face close to his. "I'll miss you", he murmured and gently touched his lips to Zack's. After a second or so he brought his face from Zack's.

Zack was shocked at the action, and didn't know how to respond. He stood still as Luke moved away from him, gently caressing his face as he disappeared around the corner without another word.

He slid down the wall, and touched his lips. '_Luke kissed me_', he thought dazedly.

He stared at the opposite wall for a little bit, wondering numbly why the Brunette did that. And why he'd enjoyed it, if only a little bit. Yeah, he'd been kissed before, he'd had girlfriends, but a guy had never kissed him. He'd never thought he was into guys.

Except... What he'd thought about the Hero... But anyone would think that, right? Like the girl had said, the Hero was the best at _everything. _But that didn't mean he wasn't attracted to men.

Shakily he stood up, wondering what to do.

He was as good as kicked out of Gongaga, so he should go pack... Oh Gaia, what would his foster parents think? He walked out of the alley, eyes to the ground. His lack of attention caused two things: Him to trip over his shoelace, which caused him to accidentally fall onto a blond man in black and take him down as well.

Zack groaned as he lifted his face from someones chest, not a girls from the obvious lack of breasts. When he looked to see who it was his eyes widened in shock and a chill went down his spine, for a much different reason than before.

"Uh.. Heya?", he said hesitantly to Cloud. Glowing blue eyes blinked away shock and turned to amusement as he waited for Zack to get off him. Not that he had much of a problem with him on top of him.

Zack moved his arms, realizing his hands were on the Hero's chest and that he was laying on top of him.

"Sorry!", he nearly shouted and scrambled off of the blond to sit beside him. Unfortunately, they'd attracted some attention and several villagers were watching the situation with wide eyed shock.

Zack felt his cheeks burn with embarrassment. The red spread across his face, gaining a few snickers from the people around him. This whole situation was adding up on him, his fear, the confusion and uncertainty, and he sniffled lightly. His eyes grew a little watery.

He heard a few people laugh, a few rude comments before the Hero stood and they hushed. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up. His eyes met the Hero's concerned gaze, and he looked down again shamefully.

The Hero wrapped an arm around his shoulders and motioned him to get up, gently encouraging him. Zack stood, keeping his gaze on the ground as the Hero lead him somewhere. He didn't look until they had to go up some stairs, and he realized they were in the Inn. When they got to the room, the Blond had him sit on the bed and then sat beside him.

A few unwanted tears fell from his face, and he rubbed his eyes with his jacket sleeve, feeling humiliated.

Cloud gently stopped him, cupping Zack's face with a hand and having him look at the Blond's face. Zack's mouth went dry, seeing the concern from the Hero again, and more tears came, unfortunately. Cloud softly wiped them away, and ran his fingers through Zack's hair soothingly.

Zack looked back down, his body trembling. The thought of being kicked out of town made him sad, and scared. He didn't know where to go, or what to do. He felt vulnerable, and weak, and confused.

He felt the Hero beside him, and could hardly believe that they were so close. Gaia was he ever embarrassed by running into the Blond, especially with all those people watching and laughing.

Zack looked at the Hero, seeing how concerned he was.

"I'm sorry for running into you...", Zack apologized quietly.

Cloud started rubbing circles on his back, and pulled him closer to his side so that Zack was leaning on him. His way of saying that it was okay.

Zack blushed at the close proximity, a light red working over his tanned features. It grew when he instinctively cuddled closer to the Blond. He wondered why the Hero was paying attention to him, of all people.

The arm around his shoulders tightened for a second, giving him something of a hug, and he buried his face in the Hero's chest, hardly believing what he was doing. He could hear the Blond's heart, strong and steady through his shirt, and reveled in being able to do this.

"I... I'm in trouble", Zack whispered. He felt the need to tell the Hero, to tell anyone how he was feeling, how confused he was.

He felt Cloud's body tighten a bit, and looked up to see what emotions were in his eyes. The concern was still strong, there was anxiousness and the beginnings of anger behind the blue eyes.

"Someone's told the elders that I've been playing the pranks", Zack murmured, afraid that the Hero was angry with him, for some reason.

As much as Luke could have been lying, Zack didn't doubt that Luke had gone to the elders already. He tried to block his mind of that kiss, feeling shame from it.

"And now they're gonna kick me out of town", Zack added. He was pretty sure that the Hero knew that already.

At first, a few people had found the pranks funny, but then they found them annoying. After about six months, the first public warning was sent out. Over the next three years the punishment for the person responsible grew to what it was now. Zack wasn't sure why he'd kept them going when he could have stopped, maybe it had been that he hadn't been caught yet and didn't think he would be, but in any case, it was over now.

He felt Cloud's chest rise in a silent sigh and looked at him again. The man was thinking.

With a sigh of his own, Zack relaxed against the Hero, allowing a few more tears to fall since he could tell Cloud wouldn't judge him for it. He felt comfortable with the warmth the Blond provided and the comforting circles the man was making in his back, telling him that he wasn't angry.

After a little bit, he felt Cloud move. The arm left his shoulders and reached over to a bag, drawing a pencil and note pad from it. He wrote something down and then handed it to Zack.

_How many people know?_

"I'm not sure, everyone might by now", Zack said and looked at the window. The fabric of the Hero's shirt was soft beneath his cheek, and he caught a scent of something pure, like rain.

Zack blushed, hoping Cloud hadn't noticed he was sniffing him like a dog. Meekly, he handed the note pad back, gaining an inquisitive glance but no other action from the Hero.

Again, Cloud wrote something and handed it to him.

_Have you talked to anyone about this? And if you get any redder you'll match a tomato._

"No one except for you and the guy who said he was going to go tell them", Zack mumbled and buried his bright red face in Cloud's chest again.

He felt the pad taken and the pencil scratching away before he received it again.

_You should. Go talk to your parents, and if it is really happening then I have a proposition for you, okay?_

Zack thought for a moment, his heart racing. "Alright, but... What do I do if it is happening? Come back to you?", he asked, looking at the glowing blue eyes.

Cloud took the pad and wrote again.

_Pack your things, talk to your parents and if they don't have plans for you come to me._

"Okay, so... See you later?", Zack asked and stood up reluctantly. He set the note pad down on the bed and looked at the Hero, who nodded.

He walked out of the room, the glare from the Inn keeper telling him that Luke had indeed informed the elders. He blanched at the thought of how his foster parents would receive the news.

He stuck to the shadows to avoid most of the villagers, and got to his house rather quickly. For a few seconds he stared at the door, wondering what was about to happen, before he grabbed the knob and walked in.

His foster parents were sitting at the table, waiting for him.

* * *

11/07/10 10:40

_UPDATE: I have EXTREMELY bad news for those of you that like this and all my other stories. Do to some (annoying stupid) unknown complications in my computer. ALL my files got erased. So, the chapters for my stories did to and unfortunately I didn't think to save them on anything else. So now I have to start the chapters for In Love and Guilt, The Mind, and Forever again. As well as two other Fanfics I'd all but completed and were about to post._


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